Culvert.



S. E. MOURE.

CULVERT. APPLICATION flu-:D AuGJ. 1915.

rPatented Nov. 7, 1916.

Figa

SAMUEL E. MOORE, OF WILLIAMSVILLE, ILLINOIS.

CULVERT.

` Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

Application filed August 9, 1915. Serial No. 44,529.

To all 'whom t may concern Be it known that I, SAMUEL E. MOORE, acitizen of the United States, residing at Williamsville, in the countyof Sangamon and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Culverts, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates primarily to culverts such as are used underroadways and have relatively small openings which render itimpracticable for a man of ordinary size to enter the culverts for thepurpose of cleaning them out.

A general purpose of the invention is to provide a culvert comprising aseries of sections which may be made separately at a relatively smallcost and may be easily assembled where the culvert is to be installedand the number of sections to be used may be varied to suit the lengthof the culvert.

Other purposes of the invention are: To provide in conjunction withabutments at the ends of the culvert a series of intermediate bottomsections, tie rods external to the bottom sections and adapted torigidly connect the abutments and the bottom sections and a series ofremovable cover sec tions intermediate with respect to the abutments andbreaking` joints with the bottom sections; to provide an abutment at oneend of the culvert having a bottom member of a length 4different fromthe -length of the respective intermediate bottom sections and toprovide an abutment at the other end of the culvert having a covermember of a length different from the length of the respectiveintermediate cover sections.

The invention is illustrated in the annexed drawing and will behereinafter particularly described and finally recited in the claims.

Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a side elevation and an end elevationof a culvert embodying my invention. Fig. 3 is a vertical transversesection on the line Y. Y. of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a verticallongitudinal section on the line X. X. of Fig. 2.

Similar reference numerals designate like parts in the different views.

The culvert will preferably be made of concrete, but iron, or clayhardened by burning, or other suitable material may be used withoutdeparture from my invention.

The abutment 1 has an integral bottom member 2 conformed to the contourof the adjacent bottom section and preferably of half the length of thebottom section.- The bottom sections 3 are all alike and preferably areof trough-shape cross-section as shown in Fig. 3.

The abutment 4 has an integral covermember 5 of arcuate cross-section,preferably half the length ofv and somewhat thicker than the adjacentcover section and conformed to the contour of the cover section. Theabutment 4 also has an integral ledge 6 adapted to support the end ofthe adjacent bottom section. The cover-member 5 is complemental to andis thicker than the cover sections?, to strengthen the covermember so asto avoid breakage during the handling of the abutment.

The bottom member 2 of the abutment 1 and the cover member 5 of theabutment 4 extend inwardly in alinement with each other and have twofunctions, viz: they serve as spaces to position the parts so that thecover sections 7 will break joints with the bottom sections 3, and alsoserve to prevent lateral movement, or turning, or disalinement of theabutments.

The cover sections are all alike and are preferably of arcuate crosssection and have longitudinal flanges 8 adapted to engage on the sidewalls of the bottom sections, as shown in Fig. 3 to prevent lateraldisplace ment of the cover sections.

The abutments l and 4 have transverse holes 9 adapted to accommodate tierods 10. The holes 9 are placed so thatwhen the parts are assembled theholes in one abutment will be in line with the holes in the otherabutment andthe tie rods 10 will be parallel to each other and externalto the bottom sections 3. The purpose of this arrangement is, that if itbe desired to remove any bottom section, it may be lifted out andanother section substituted without disturbing the other bottom sectionsor the abutments.

Washers 12, free on the rods 10, contact with the faces of theabutments. Nuts 13 screw onto the rods 10 and bear against the washers12.

When installing the culvert, the ground will be graded and a suitablebed will be prepared as is usual in the art. The abutment l will then beplaced in position, the number of bottom sections necessary for theculvert of the required length will be placed on the bed in line withthe bottom member 2 so that the end of' one section will abut againstthe free end of the member 2 and the sections will lie end to endagainst each other, the abutment l will be placed with the ledge 6 underthat terminal of the section 3 which is adjacent to the abutment 4 andwith the inner face or" the abutment in close contact with the outer endof the section, the tie rods l0 will be placed in the holes 9 and thewashers 12 and the nuts 13 will be placed on the rods and the nuts willbe tightened to firmly connect together the abutments and the bottomsections; and the cover sections 7 will then be laid on top of thebottom sections 3 so that the cover sections will lie end to end, oneend of one terminal section will be adjacent to the inner face of theabutment l and one end of the other terminal section will be adjacent tothe free end of the cover men'iber The cover sections 7 are just alittle shorter than the bottom sections 3, in order that when theabutments l and '-l and the bottom sections 3 have been assembled andtied together by the rods l0, the cover sections may be freely placedlon or removed from the bottom sections.

I have described the assembling ot the parts as beginning with the lefthand abutment and progressing toward the right, but it is obvious thatthe assembling may begin with the right hand abutment and progresstoward the left.

If the culvert becomes obstructed, the earth immediately above theobstructed section or sections may be dug out without disturbing otherparts of the roadway, the cover section or sections may be lifted off,the obstruction may be removed, the cover section or sections restoredand the excavation rclled without disturbing the other elements of' theculvert.

I am aware that sectional culverts have been used and that removablecover sections have been used. I therefore do not broadly claim thosefeatures of construction.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a culvert, the combination of a first abutment having a.trough-shaped bottom member integral with and at right angles to theabutment and adapted to serve as a spacer and also adapted to preventlateral movement or turning of the abutment; a second abutment having acover member integral ywith and at right angles to said second abutmentand adapted to serve as a spacer and also adapted to prevent lateralmovement or turning of said second abutment; bottom sections in linewith the bottom member of the first abutment, one end of one terminalsection being in close contact with the free end of said first abutmentand one end of the other terminal section being in close contact withthe inner face of said second abutment; connecting devices rigidlyconnecting said abutments and said bottom sections; and removable coversections practically filling the space between the inner face of saidfirst abutment and the inner end of the cover-member of said' secondabutment.

2. In a culvert, the combination of' a first abutment having an inwardlyextending bottom member integral with and at rightv angles to said firstabutment and adapted to serve as a spacer and adapted to prevent lateralmovement of' the abutment; a complemental abutment having an inwardlyextending cover-member integral with and at right angles to saidcomplemental abutment and adapted to serve as a spacer and adapted toprevent lateral movement of said complemental abutment; bottom sectionsin line with said complemental abutment and with the bottom member ofsaid first named abutment; connecting devices outside of and parallel tothe alined bottom sections and rigidly connecting the abutments and thebottom sections; and end-to-end cover sections occupying practically theentire space between the inner end of the cover' member of saidcomplemental abutment and the inner face of said first abutment'.

3. In a culvert, the combination of a first abutment having an integralinwardly extended member at an angle to the abutment and adapted toserve as a spacer and adapted to prevent lateral movement of said firstabutment; a second abutment having an integral inwardly extended memberat an angle to said second abutment and adapted to serve as a spacer andadapted to prevent lateral movement of said second abutment; bottomsections intermediate of the abutments; and cover sections intermediateof the abutments and breaking joints with the bottom sections.

4L. In a culvert, the 'combination of a first abutment having two holesparallel. to each other and adapted to accommodate bolts, also having anintegral inwardly extended member atI an angle to the abutment andadapted to serve as a spacer and adapted to prevent lateral movement orturning of the abutment; a second abutment having two holes parallel toeach other and adapted to accommodate bolts, also having an integralinwardly extended member at an angle to said second abutment and adaptedto serve as a spacer and adapted to prevent lateral movement or turningofsaid second abutment; alined bottom sections intermediate of theabutments; alined sepa- In lWitness whereof I have hereunto signed myname at Springfield, Illinois, this 6th day of August, 1915.

SAMUEL E. MOORE.

rately removable, oovei sections intermediate of the abutments andbreaking joints With the bottom sections; and two bolts parallel to eachother und extending through the holes in the ab-utments and Aidjaoent toand outside of the sides of the alined bottom sections.

Witnesses:

JOHN W. PRATHER, ROY G. TRoXELL.

Copies of vthis patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 2D. C.

